


A Faint Memory

by DanielK2312, licoricebrightwater



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Flashbacks, Hurt/Comfort, Secrets, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-05-25 11:02:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14975786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanielK2312/pseuds/DanielK2312, https://archiveofourown.org/users/licoricebrightwater/pseuds/licoricebrightwater
Summary: If you have found this - do not tell.If you have read this - read again.If you have understood this - expect more.





	1. Heartbeat

**Author's Note:**

> 1st chapter, 93rd paragraph, 1 sentence.

What a beautiful day.

 

 

"I'm sorry, Sans!"

A little girl begs, bones stabbed through her limbs and pinning her to the ground.

 

 

_Ba-dum. Ba-dum. And one. And two._

 

 

"Ya. I know."

A short skeleton steps away, his left eye lighting up a solemn cyan blue.

 

 

_Badum. Badum. And one. And two._

 

 

A skull formed in the air, magic blazing in its eyes.

 

_Badum, badum. One, two._

 

It fires.

 

_Badum-badum. One-two._

 

A little human, engulfed in magic, shrieks in agony.

_Badum, badum. **Badum, badum**. **Badum, ba--**_

 

 

_...but the "dum" never came._


	2. Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She was a hero to the Underground. She was a symbol of justice. She was an inspiration to the young and a salvation for the old.
> 
> She was special.
> 
> Sometimes... she wishes she wasn't either of those.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 52nd paragraph, 2nd sentence, 11th word.

_Left. Right. Left. Right, right. Left, left._

_From behind._

A quiet "clank" resounded with each block, Undyne scowling. She had saw that the kid was rather nimble, but for it to react so quickly to her attacks felt almost insulting. Their movements exerted next to no energy, sometimes seeming almost robotic. Automated.

The... others were not so proficient.

The captain pushed the thought away as she focused on the battle.

_Left. Front. Back. Right. Left. Front. Back. Right. Back. Front._

The sea monster allowed herself a small grin when she saw the human cry out as she lunged quickly at the little beast, only barely not taking its head off with the business end of her weapon. It coughed, jumping back and trying to regain its composure, huffing raspily as they put a dirty bandage over the scratch on their neck, the piece of cloth doing essentially nothing as it slowly turned blood red.

Undyne only scoffed at the pathetic attempt to curb her injury, but she allowed it, only eyeing the human with spite.

Normally, Undyne would sieze the opportunity to attack her opponent.

_Normally, Undyne wouldn't murder a child._

She growled, stomping towards the human and summoning yet another barrage of aquatic blue spears, sending one after another.

_Why not all of them at once?_

BECAUSE--... because it's... just a kid.

_Is that an excuse to give a human an advantage?_

Asgore still exists. She couldn't be blamed if she let just one human get past her, right? He wouldn't hesitate... right?

He would finish the job, even if the kid just looks like his late step-daughter...

...right?

 

"...fuzzy pushover." Undyne muttered under her breath before continuing her assault. The human was clutching its neck and dodging the best it could, occasional blood drops falling onto an old pink tutu they were wearing. She remembered that tutu. She also remembered those shoes.

_She also remembered the terrified look on the little girl's face when she was found bathing in the Waterfall and drowned in her own blood but a few short seconds later, an armored sea monster dragging out its corpse by the hair._

 

...it was okay. She could still do this. She could still find a way to justify murdering--... no. She didn't need justification. She was just doing her job.

She was just obtaining a soul that monsterkind needed to finally be free.

 

Undyne looked back at the human. Torn sweater, stab holes in the ballet shoes, the ripped edges of the tutu. The countless cuts and stab wounds on its body, all bleeding slowly. So very, very slowly.

"...you should give up, ya know. Look at yerself. Killin' ya right now would be a mercy."

_Give the beast the same mercy it gave to your kind._

...yeah, that's... that's right. It's a human. An evil creature that did not CARE for monsters. She had all the rights to kill the human had inflicted so much pain unto her--

 

Except it did not.

 

Throughout the entire battle, the child did not attack Undyne even once. This child was injured by her countless times, but not once did it fight back. Just... constant dodges and pleas for mercy which she stopped listening to long ago.

 

Undyne managed to swallow the bile rising up in her throat. She felt absolutely repulsed.

 

"...are you... alright?"

 

_Ex-fucking-cuse me?_

 

To say Undyne was shocked would be to say that humans need to breathe and that bears shit in the woods. Her expressions switched rapidly from shock to confusion to just outright laughter.

"...what the fuck is wrong with you?"

In reality, she was _enraged._

"You are a human. You have had a life we never did."

Enraged at humans.

"You had the freedom that some of us could only dream of! For ages, decades, centuries we were kept in this fucking place! Your kind took everything from us, imprisoned us here like animals and painted us to be the villains, and you still dare MOCK me like this?!"

Enraged at the kid.

"...seven souls. Seven souls is what we need to get out of this wretched mountain."

Enraged at the past.

"Six. Six humans have already fell down here. It's just one more soul that we need, and king Asgore will finally break the barrier and set us free."

Enraged at this predicament.

 

Enraged at herself.

 

"...will... this do, then?"

Undyne's jaw practically dropped when she saw the small human holding her two hands over a small, fragile beating heart. She recognized that shape.

A soul.

_The human was offering her its soul._

 

"...what do you think yer doing? You're... you're supposed ta protect this thing... w-why are you...?"

The girl smiled.

"...it's what you need, isn't it? You... you can take it. It'll make everyone happy... right?"

 

Undyne felt like her heart was violently ripped out and torn in front of her eyes. She felt... awful. Terrible. Angry.

 

Sad?

 

"...if all of yer kind were like you, you humans woulda gone extinct by now."

The little girl smiled, her legs shaking.

"...I know."

 

Undyne took a step towards her.

"...the barrier was supposed to be indestructible, ya know. But someone found a way. Someone found out about the souls. Someone... killed one of you before."

The girl only chuckled quietly.

"...humans kill each other all the time. It's... not a big deal."

 

Undyne took another step. The child's legs were giving in to the exhaustion and damage, the girl falling on one knee.

"...we monsters are weaklings compared to you, y'know. The entire underground could barely amount to just one of your souls. For us to kill seven of you... would be a miracle."

The girl laughed, sitting down on her knees.

"...you see kindness as weakness?"

 

Undyne swallowed as another wave of guilt washed over her.

"...all miracles... require a sacrifice. For our freedom, we sacrificed our morals."

 

Undyne summoned a spear, holding it in her trembling hand.

"...for our lives... yours."

 

The girl looked up at the sea monster, looking her in the eye. It... no, SHE. She... held no anger. No disdain in her gaze. No hate. Not... not even pity.

Just... compassion.

"...may I... know your name?"

 

Undyne nodded, shakily. Her gauntlet was making her nervousness painfully apparent with the constant metallic clinking of speak against the metal of her armor.

"...Undyne. Undyne Percidae."

 

The little human only smiled warmly.

"...it was nice to meet you, Undyne."

 

The spear found its target.

 

* * *

 

 

 

Undyne's head felt like it was spinning. She remembered hearing a loud noise, like glass cracking. And then, the red light was gone.

 

And darkness finally held dominion.

 

It was darkness that she saw. That she heard. That she felt. Pure darkness enveloping her body and flooding her mind, washing away any semblance of understanding of what was going on.

 

She only remembered one thing.

A little human child, smiling at her as its soul shattered in front of her eyes.

 

...were her eyes always red?

 

...Undyne could no longer remember.


	3. Laughter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans always felt like an outsider looking in. Like a broken gear in the system. Something that could do something it was not supposed to.
> 
> He hated it.
> 
> The world didn't care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3rd chapter, 13th paragraph, 3rd sentence, 11th word.

It has been a few days since the kid passed through Snowdin. He still remembered that day, that minute. Every little detail.

 

He was being lazy as usual. Napping on the job, a small pillow on his station’s desk. And then, the short skeleton felt a gust of wind go towards him. The air was… warm, but somehow it felt… chilly.

 

Sans stood up, one of his eyes opening and tiredly scanning his surroundings for anything that might be disturbing his not-very-well-deserved nap. He got up, sliding on his pink fluffy slippers and limped into the direction of the gust.

 

And then, he heard a loud booming noise of a door closing.

 

_Oh. So it’s time, huh._

 

The short skeleton felt his grin grow a little as he pulled the hood over his skull and reached into the pocket for his whoopee cushion.

 

“...time ta greet the new pal.”

 

* * *

 

 

Tired.

 

If Sans could use only one adjective to describe how he felt, it would be ‘tired’.

 

The reloads were making him want to throw up all over his jacket, and that’s despite the fact he hasn’t even eaten anything today.

 

Has he? It was getting hard to keep track of.

 

The comedian was standing in front of a building he has grown very familiar with over the years. Grillby’s. If there was any place to grab food or drink, this was his hands-down favorite option.

 

* * *

 

 

Tired.

 

If Sans could use only one adjective to describe how he felt, it would be ‘tired’.

 

The reloads were making him want to throw up all over his jacket, and that’s despite the fact he hasn’t even eaten anything today.

 

Wait. Didn’t he eat just now, though?

 

Sans tiredly looked around. He was standing in front of the door to Grillby’s. Again.

 

_...welp, looks like the kiddo’s gotten to Undyne._

 

Sans walked inside the establishment, walking up to the counter and sitting down.

“Heya there, Grillbz. I’ll uh… have the usual.”

 

* * *

 

Tired.

 

If Sans could use only one adjective to describe how he felt, it would be ‘tired’.

 

The reloads were making him want to throw up all over his jacket, and that’s despite the fact he hasn’t even eaten anything today.

 

Or, rather, he has. He had the taste of a burger with an ungodly amount of ketchup sprayed on it engraved on his nonexistent taste buds by now. Well, Sans supposed he should at least be grateful that the kid was getting better at _not dying every ten seconds._ The first time he didn’t even get as far as getting inside the building. Now, he had enough to exchange greetings with his fiery friend and actually finish the meal.

 

Hell, right now he’d already decided to be a little cheeky bastard and try a different dish every time to see if he liked them. Grillby expanded his menu every once in a while, and while burgers and fries drowned in ketchup were always Sans’ favored meal, changing things up would never hurt.

 

* * *

 

He thought he’d never see the day the barrier would be shattered. He thought he would never feel the sun in his lifespan. He thought that monsters would remain trapped forever.

  
He was never before so happy to be proven wrong.

 

The warmth of it was just… ecstatic. He closed his eye sockets, breathing in the fresh air as opposed to the dusty dampness of the Underground and dropping his jacket to the ground.

 

His head felt so light, the rays washing over him, making him slightly dizzy. His entire body felt so…

 

...cold?

 

He opened his eyes. White and black. A snowy forest. In front of him, a purple gate.

 

Staring at the door, dumbfounded, Sans heard laughter. An annoying, maniacal laugh that ringed in his ears over and over and over without pause. His head was pounding, his eye sockets were watering, his eyelights went out as the short skeleton fell to his knees, clutching his head.

 

He wouldn’t even realize that he was the one laughing.


	4. Scarf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revenge is not the way, they say. Revenge corrupts you, they say. Revenge ruins you, they say.
> 
> But god, was it a good way to curb the pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4th chapter, 44th paragraph, 5th sentence, 11th word.

They say the opposite of blue is red.

 

They say that kind ones are to be rewarded with kindness.  _Then what did he do wrong?_

They say acceptance is path to redemption.  _Then why didn't she accept?_

They say there is good in any person.  _Then why would she crush the one who was a bulwark of kindness?_

 

 

They say that a weapon is but a tool.

They say that the weakness and strength of monsters comes from their own emotions.

They say that it is not the blow, but the killing intent, the hate behind it is what harms the monster.

 

_Then just why would she hate his brother so much?_

 

They say that the opposite of blue is red.

 

Red madness versus the blue calmness.

Red anger versus the blue patience.

Red blood versus the blue sky.

 

_A red scarf next to a child clad in blue._

 

In that moment, red was all Sans saw. And he finally knew why they say that.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do wonder why not many people think in comments...


	5. Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 5th chapter, 39th paragraph, 4th sentence, 7th, 8th and 9th words.

Frisk's eyes opened slowly as the little girl yawned and stretched, some of her joints letting out a satisfying 'pop' while her body woke itself up bit by bit. With a quiet murmur, she rubbed her eyes with her little fists, trying to get rid of the blur in her vision.

What she was met with is a pair of curious red eyes staring at her from the nightstand.

_Wha...?_

The seven-year-old took a double take, and indeed there was a person sitting there and looking at her with a bored expression. It was a little girl, appearing to be about a year or so older than Frisk. She had rather pale skin, but her cheeks were rosy, suggesting that it wasn't a disease she was afflicted with but rather just her natural skin tone. Light chestnut bangs covered her ears partially, her hair just barely long enough to reach her shoulders, the haircut resembling Frisk's, except it was a little more... neat. The stranger also wore dark brown shorts and black shoes and knee-high socks of the same color. Particularly interesting was the fact that the little girl also wore a green shirt with a single yellow stripe in the middle - very reminiscent of the ones Frisk saw in the closet.

Most importantly, though, the girl was transparent.

"...that's my bed."

Frisk blinked in confusion. This... person lived here?

"I'm... I'm sorry."

The ghost's expression changed from a smug smirk into one of surprise, then into one of shock and guilt as she saw Frisk get down and curl up on the floor without a single protest or question. The startled little stranger panicked, jumping off the counter and tugging on Frisk's sleeve to no avail - a weightless floating remnant of a person can only do so much. Most material objects she couldn't interact with, but this girl seemed... special. Frisk could see her, too, which is a feat that nobody else has shown before.

"H-hey, it's alright! Really, I was just teasing! I didn't actually mean for you to get off it!" the girl's voice was the classic "It's okay, really!" tone, desperately trying to convince Frisk that everything is indeed okay and that she shouldn't sleep on the floor because of a joke like seriously what the hell is with this kid--

 

"I-is it really...?" a pair of bright, teary blue eyes looked up at the apparition as it sighed with relief.

"...yeah, it is. I don't... really need it anymore, anyway."

The transparent child gave her most reassuring smile as she offered a hand to Frisk, the girl taking it and getting up...

 

...only to fall down face-first, reminding herself that her newfound acquaintance was still, indeed, immaterial.

 

The spectral girl held a hand to her mouth, trying to hold back from laughing.

_This is adorable._

 

"...Say, kiddo. What's your name?"

The kid sat down on the bed, rubbing her forehead.

"H-hey... I'm... I'm Frisk."

"Frisk, eh? That's an interesting name."

"Really?" Frisk seemed honestly surprised, her eyes opening wide.

"Yup! I like it." the girl smiled warmly. She wasn't lying, "Frisk" seemed like a very intriguing name. Although... rather unusual for a human.

"Thank you... and um... what's yours?"

The green-clad child smiled, jumping onto the bed next to Frisk.

"I am Chara. I used to live here before."

 

'Chara'... why did that sound so... familiar?

 

"Frisk?" Frisk's train of thought ended without even truly beginning. "Be honest, please. I want to ask you a serious question and I want you to answer seriously."

"O-okay..." her voice was shaking in nervousness and slight fear.

"...how do you feel about monsters?"

Oh. Well that was kind of an easy one.

"They're... scary, but really nice. I think... I think that even if they hurt me, it doesn't make them bad. They're probably just scared, right? W-wouldn't they be... scared of a... a f-freak like m-me w-who only d-does bad t-things...?" the girl's stuttering voice slowly turned into sobs as she hid her face in her hands. And... oh god, her hands were an absolute MESS of scars and bite marks.

_What the hell happened to this kid?!_

"Hey, hey hey where did that come from?" the apparition put her hands on Frisk's shoulder. "Frisk? Calm down, please, everything is okay! You're a good kid, honest!"

"...r-really?" she reluctantly looked at Chara from between her fingers, her breathing stabilizing a little.

"Yes, really. You're a good kid, okay? Just... look at me, and calm down."

 

The girl put down her hands on her lap and looked Chara in the eye. And when she did, her jaw dropped for just a few seconds.

 

"...what's wrong? Do I... do I like, have something in my eye or... wait, is there something behind me?" the ghost turned to look behind herself, confused as to what would provoke such a reaction. The only result was a giggle from Frisk.

"...what's so funny?!"

"I-It's nothing! I just thought that... you have really pretty eyes."

 

_Say what again?_

 

"You... you think they're... pretty?"

Frisk nodded enthusiastically, smiling. Chara wasn't sure how to react for a little while before she let out a wry chuckle.

"You're... you're really something else, aren't you."

 

The ghost floated upwards toward the ceiling, laying back on nothing as if she was swimming in the air. It was... it was the first time her eyes were a subject of a positive reaction since... well... since the Dreemurr family.

Since Asriel.

 

"...Frisk... can I ask you something?"

"Yes?" the smaller girl tilted her head, curiously.

"Do you think that... monsters deserve to be imprisoned here?"

Frisk blinked, startled. Then, she gripped the fabric of her shirt and almost shouted.

"No, no, no! Of course not! They're all very nice, it's just that... they've gone through difficult things. They can all be good! I'm sure of it!"

Chara smiled.

"Your words warm my cold, dead heart. Then... if you don't mind me asking... would you help a lonely ghost keep the promise it couldn't keep in its lifetime?"

"A... promise?"

Chara flew down and looked Frisk in the eye, smiling. She nodded enthusiastically, looking a little fired up.

"Mhm! I'd... I'd be happy to help you, you don't seem like a bad person."

 

A toothy grin found its way onto Chara's features. It wasn't a malicious one or a wry one. It was an excited one. A happy one.

A hopeful one.

 

"Then get up, partner! Maybe with you, we'll be able to finish what I couldn't do, and fulfill the promise I made to myself!"

Frisk hopped off the bed, putting on her oversized shoes and looking at her newfound companion with admiration.

"...What was your promise?"

 

Chara offered her hand to Frisk, flying by her side.

 

**"To free all monsters!"**


	6. Soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That is a soul. A culmination of your whole being.
> 
> Your soul starts off weak, but can grow strong if it gains a lot of LV.
> 
> What's LV?
> 
> Why, LOVE, of course!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 6th chapter, 48th paragraph, 2nd sentence, 10th and 11th words.

Blank.

 

A child walked though the empty golden hall with an expression only described as "blank". She looked absolutely exhausted, not just physically but mentally as well. Her red eyes seemed dim, hollow. Like a doll.

Her movements played the part, too. Jerky, heavy, tired. A few times the kid actually almost fell onto the dusty floor, stumbling over to a pillar to catch her breath.

 

_Just a little more, Azzy._

 

The child frowned, pushing herself away from the pillar and stumbling over through an archway. What she saw was a spacious garden of buttercups, a throne in the center. In front of it, a large goat monster watering the golden flowers.

Chara felt her stomach flip when she looked at the weeds.

 

"Curious. I've never seen a plant... cry before."

Chara raised her gaze in mild irritation. Practically every other inch of her body was bleeding, quite a few bones were broken, her left shoulder dislocated, her vision blurry.

God, her eyes felt like they will pop from the inside.

 

The large monster turned around to face her, raising an eyebrow in bewilderment.

"Huh...? Ah, you must be the one that flower just warned me about."

_He did what?_

...oh well. Won't matter in a minute.

 

"Erm... Excuse me," the monster's expression became rather uncomfortable, bordering between puzzled and embarrassed at the same time. - "What kind of monster are you? I cannot tell."

A flash of light against metal. A tightening grip on the handle. Asgore flinches.

"Now now, no need to be brash. Why not settle everything over a nice cup of tea?"

 

_"Sorry, dad. Not in the mood."_

 

The man's eyes widened when he fell to the ground, a large gash along his chest, his breath stuck in his throat as his body slowly turned to dust. A white upside-down appeared, shaking like a leaf in a storm.

 

And then it was split in two with a barrage of friendliness pellets.

 

"...oh. There you are." The human's gaze softened as she looked at the flower which protruded from the ground, its expression one of panic.

 

"S-see? I n-never betrayed you, n-no! I-it was all just a trick, s-see? I w-was just waiting to h-help you kill him! I-it's me, y-your best friend, after all, s-see?"

Chara wasn't sure how to feel when the flower's face shifted into one which was so much more familiar.

"I can be useful to you, I promise I won't get in your way! I-I can help!... I c-can... I can..."

 

The flower started crying.

 

"P-please... don't kill m--"

 

The flower's words were cut off by a child kneeling down and hugging it.

"...w-what are you... doing...?"

Chara only smiled softly, moving her hair away to the side. Flowey's expression shifting from terror to confusion, and then into a much deeper form of terror.

"...well that's disheartening. Don't you recognize me?"

"C-CHARA PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!" the monster's eyes closed shut, tears flowing from them.

The child sighed, and in but that one moment the room lit up again. It was a bright, red light, one that filled the entire garden. Flowey looked at the soul, and only reacted with confusion and mild annoyance.

"...what is this."

"It's a soul. A soul for you."

 

"...you honestly think I would believe that?" the flower spat in return.

 

"W-what do you mean?" the girl looked... shocked. Shocked wouldn't even be enough to describe her state. She felt  _betrayed._

"I-it's a soul! It's a soul for you! W-we made it strong, so we could save you! So you wouldn't have to be like this anymore!"

 

"...you'd... do all that... for me?"

 

The girl smiled.

"Of course I would, brother. Did you... forget who I was after such a long time?"

Chara held her hands out, a red heart beating in them.

"Please... take it. We'll figure something out, but... you'll finally be you again. Isn't... isn't that great?"

 

Vines crawled out of the ground, taking the soul carefully.

"It's so... warm."

Chara nodded.

"Y-yeah. Isn't it?"

 

_Crack._

 

"...did you honestly believe I'd trust you to do this without a trick of sorts? What is it this time. Gonna try to take over my body again? Get through the barrier again? Kill all humans again?! Use me and let me die again?!"

The vines tugged on the soul, tearing it apart, cracks forming all over the fragile thing.

Tears flowed from the girl's eyes as she stood up.

"...so that's how you feel, then."

 

She picked the knife up.

 

The flower looked confused at first. Then, scared.

 

"...w-why aren't you..."

 

"In pain? Curling up on the ground? Suffering?"

 

The human stood up.

 

"Because I'm not like you. Not anymore. I am not the little manipulative brat you remember me to be. I'm not a soulless creature like you."

 

Tears dripped down the child's cheeks. She raised the knife.

 

"Because I'm not alone anymore. Because when I'm down, there's someone there for me. Someone to take away the pain."

 

The grip tightened.

 

"Because this soul is not mine. It's  _ours._ "

 

_Slash._


	7. Okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything will be okay. You'll be okay. It'll stop hurting in a moment and then everything will be just like it used to be.
> 
> Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7th chapter, 35th paragraph, 2nd sentence, 6th word.

_Pain._

 

 

"Chara, w-where are you?! I-it hurts, please, make it stop! Please!"

 

_It's so cold. So dark. Why isn't she saying anything?_

 

"C-Chara, please... come back, d-don't leave me alone...!"

 

_Being alone is scary. I'm scared._

 

"Chara... w-why aren't you saying anything...?"

 

_I'm scared._

 

"Chara...?"

 

_So lonely._

 

"...where are you?"

 

_So quiet._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"...why is everything so dark?"

 

 

 

 

_So scared._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Combine them.
> 
> What's it say?


End file.
